Delaware County, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Delaware County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Delaware County compares with Pennsylvania
Delaware County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Delaware County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Delaware County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.4 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 35% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 46% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 73% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.9% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.4% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.3% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 8% below the state |
Delaware County sits below Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Delaware County: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 14% of them.
Overview
Delaware County has recorded 2,550 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,311 people injured and 35 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (9.4% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Delaware County happened on I-476 (4), US-13 (4), US-1 (3), I-95 (2) and Mu-Hinckley Ave (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 124 of the truck crashes here, or 4.9%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in October (14% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.0 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Delaware County fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Delaware County.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Delaware County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.9% of truck crashes here, more than Pennsylvania; adjust start times where you can.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Delaware County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Delaware County) |
|---|---|
| I-476 | 4 |
| US-13 | 4 |
| US-1 | 3 |
| I-95 | 2 |
| Mu-Hinckley Ave | 1 |
| SR-1001 | 1 |
| SR-2030 | 1 |
| SR-291 | 1 |
| SR-320 | 1 |
| SR-420 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Delaware County) |
|---|---|
| I-0095 | 584 |
| I-0476 | 376 |
| SR-0322 | 147 |
| SR-0001 | 146 |
| SR-0003 | 91 |
| SR-0013 | 89 |
| SR-0291 | 82 |
| SR-0452 | 49 |
Delaware County at a glance
| Population | 584,882 |
| Land area | 183.8 sq mi |
| Density | 3,182 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $101,220 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Delaware County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 157 | — | 3.2 |
| 2000s | 156 | -1% | 2.8 |
| 2010s | 174 | +12% | 2.3 |
| 2020s | 229 | +32% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 157 a year in the 1990s and 229 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Delaware County
ZIP codes in Delaware County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Delaware County
How common are truck crashes in Delaware County?
Delaware County has had 2,550 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,311 people and killing 35.
When do most truck crashes happen in Delaware County?
Truck crashes in Delaware County peak in May, with 9.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Delaware County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 124 reported crashes in Delaware County since 2015 (4.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Delaware County compared with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 37.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Delaware County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Delaware County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.